(Original post by crematoria)
I achieved A-levels in History (A), Politics (B) and English Literature (D). I'm looking to study Politics at university. I was going to apply in January 2017, but now I feel I can't because of my English Literature grade (I suck profoundly at English exams).

I can't really resit any English Literature exam because I studied the old A-level specification and my sixth form won't be holding the exams for (most of) the old A-level specifications. I thought I'd go back to sixth form and take up A-level Sociology in one year and achieve a good grade in it. Tragically, my sixth form won't let me back in because of funding issues. :/

I then considered applying to another sixth form, but my tutor advised against it because of the likelihood that I probably won't be accepted and that it would be a waste of time. They recommended that I do a Politics degree with a foundation year. I did some googling and it appears that most of the universities I want to apply to (QMUL, Royal Holloway, Goldsmiths, Brunel, Westminster, etc) don't include a foundation year, and the ones that do seem to reserve them for international students only.

I feel so lost. What are my options/prospects? What should be my next course of action? Is there anything I'm not aware of? Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Could you resit your english lit as an external candidate (whether at another school or a private exams centre), and self-study/get a tutor to help you improve the grade? Not the cheapest option and it depends on what you got at AS/A2 in terms of how much it'll help, but it might be worth a shot. Resitting may affect which unis you can apply to though, so double check before you commit to it.

Also when you say you 'feel' you can't apply because of your grade, do you know this for certain? Even if it involves calling up a few admissions offices you might find that there's a place you like that'll take you regardless.

(Original post by crematoria)
I achieved A-levels in History (A), Politics (B) and English Literature (D). I'm looking to study Politics at university. I was going to apply in January 2017, but now I feel I can't because of my English Literature grade (I suck profoundly at English exams).

I can't really resit any English Literature exam because I studied the old A-level specification and my sixth form won't be holding the exams for (most of) the old A-level specifications. I thought I'd go back to sixth form and take up A-level Sociology in one year and achieve a good grade in it. Tragically, my sixth form won't let me back in because of funding issues. :/

I then considered applying to another sixth form, but my tutor advised against it because of the likelihood that I probably won't be accepted and that it would be a waste of time. They recommended that I do a Politics degree with a foundation year. I did some googling and it appears that most of the universities I want to apply to (QMUL, Royal Holloway, Goldsmiths, Brunel, Westminster, etc) don't include a foundation year, and the ones that do seem to reserve them for international students only.

I feel so lost. What are my options/prospects? What should be my next course of action? Is there anything I'm not aware of? Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks.